Automobile-horn.



R. H. MANSON.

AUTOMOBILE HORN.

APPplcATlpN man MAn.2,1912.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

M neses dinary electric lswitches are employed, and- Vrn sra naar entre..

RAY H. MANSON, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO. THE .GRFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, .EL CORPORATION 0F n omo.

alcanza L Original` application led April 24, 1911, Serial No. 622,858. Divided and this application led March 2,

Specification of Letters Patent.

AUTOMOBILE-HORN'.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

1912. Serial No. 681,212.

To all 'whom t may concern.:

Be it known that l, RAY H. MANsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elyria, in the county bf Lorainv and State of Ohio, have invented lcertain ,new and useful improvements in Automobile-Horns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact vdescription of the invention, such as vwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to electric signaling devices for conveyances, such asautomobiles, boats, etc., and to improvements in such devices, my general object being to-produce such a device as will meet the requirements of modern use upon such conveyances. y

My invention is more particularly directed to the contacts employed upon elec"- tric automobile horns, and to provide such an arrangement of elements as will prevent the accidental operation ofthe horn, and at the same time provide afcapable, eiiicient and quick acting device. A t

In automobile hornsin use at present, or-

in such devices, the vibration ofthe convey# ance will cause an actuation ofthe switchv at an inopportune time, interfering with the proper operation, of the signalin device. 1n order to produce a more efficientv and effective signal, it is desirable that the vibration of the diaphragm should be regular land that the beats should not interfere'with I With the ordinary switches' employed, the vibration of the vehicle will one another.

cause the switch to open in the midst of one l g of the regular periods, thus interposing a lesser vibration which changes the character of the signal produced, and interferes with the regular operation of the signaling device. l aim to overcome this in the means shown, and in the )form of my invention shown in the attached drawing, employ a normally bowed contact spring which normally engages a stationary contact, and which remains in contact with such stationlary contact for a short ymovement of the contact spring.

lln the operation of electric horns, the armature must necessarily be vibrated with considerable force to produce an edective signal, so that when an electric switch is operated by its armature, there is tonsidI erable pounding of one contact against another, so that these contacts will soon be injured unless means areprovided to prevent it. l; also aim to provide such meansy and in the form shown effect it by providing a f more 'particularly pointed out in the ap- -pend claims;

This'application is a division of my yapplication No. 622,858,filed April 24, 1911.

Figure 1' is al perspective view of a portion ofI aconveyance showing an electric horn mounted thereon, and illustrating the use-of my invention. F ig. 2 is a section Otan electric horn, embodying my invention. F ig. 3 is a detail illustrating the invention.V

Referring now to the drawings and to the particular form of my invention embodied therein, at 1 l show a conveyance such as an automobile upon which is mounted a signaling device 2, which is here shown as an electric horn, preferably a vibrator horn.

This horn consists of a frame piece 3 and a trated an armature for said magnets, which is adapted when vibrated to strike an anvil 8, so associated with the diaphragm 5 that it transmits the blows of the armature 7 to the diaphragm, setting it into vibration. rl`he armature 7 is connected by a leaf spring 9 to a post 10 upon the frame piece. At 11 a bridge is provided which is connected to the frame piece, preferably through a post 12. A contact 13 upon an adjustable screw 14 is supported by the bridge 11, and though adjustable, is normally stationary so that hereinafter it is referred to as a stationary Contact. A supporting member 15 here shown separate from the armature, though it may aswell be an integral part thereof, A

is mounted upon thevarmature, being curved up as`shown' atl to furnish asupport f or one end of a contact spring 17 which carries a contact 18, companion to the contact 1.3 upon the bridge, these two contacts forming an electric switch adapted to control an electric circuit. The contact spring 17 is connected" at its other end to a support which in turn is connected to the 'frame piece. The contact spring 17 is normally bowed, so that it -tends to hold the 4contacts 18 .and 13 firmly together and to force the'armature closerto the pole piece 2O of the magnet 6. The spring 9 is strong enough to 'prevent its moving the armature from its normal 'position shown in'F ig. 3. Should, however,

' the armature 9 be vibrated upon slight amplitudes by the jarring of the vehicle or' from other causes, the spring 17 immediately bends outward toward the contact v13, so that the contacts 13 and 18 are still held together thus preventing a separation of these two contacts, and an inopportuno actuation of the electric switch formed by them. f

In case the magnet 6 is energized and the armature attracted, the spring 17 will bow and the contacts be retained together during a short period of the vibration of the armal ture, but the vibration in this instance, being greaterv than the range of the bowed spring 17,v the contacts will be separated and the switch operated. It will thus be seen that I provide means for preventing the operation of the switch 13-18 when the armature is vibrated upon such amplitudesas accidentally occur in the use of a device of this kind, and at the' same time do not prevent the operation -of the switch when it is desired 'to Y operate it. 'By this means I insure a regular operation of the device at all times, andunder all circumstances, overcoming the previous objection which I have named in the preliminary part of thisdescription. It will also be seen that the bowed spring 17 will act asia cushion member taking up the major part of the force of the blows with which the contacts come together when'the armature is released by the magnet 'and returned by the strong leaf spring 9. 'Owing to the normal stress of the spring and its ing oifthe spring 17 and the follow-up of the contact 1.8, the contacts will not be separated at all during these slight movements 'of the armature.

While I have shown this particular embdiment of my invention and these particular details, it will be obvious 'to those skilled in the art that numerous and extensive departuresfrom the forms and details of the apparatus here shown may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, this particular embodimentl being shown solely for the purpose of clearly illustrating one of the forms of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an. electric horn for use upon conveyances, a vibratory sonorous diaphragm, a resonator for said horn, electro-magnetic means for actuating said diaphragm, a vibratory armature for said means, a switch controlled by said armature and consisting of two contacts, one of said contacts being normally stationary, a support, a spring attached at one end to said support and resting at the other end against said armature and carrying the second contact in between its ends, said second contact failing to tollow up said armature for small movements thereof,y f

2. In an electric horn for use upon conveyances, l a vibratory sonorous member adapted to give a warning signal, an electromagnet controlling said member, an armature for said magnet, a pair of contacts forming a switch, one of said contacts being stationary, a support, a spring attached at one-end to said support, and resting at theV other against said armaturethe central part of said spring being normally stressed away from saidarmature, the other contact being carried by said spring intermediate its ends, said spring expanding toward the other contact under the normal stress during the first part of the forward movement of said armature and therebymaintaining the switch closed andthe contact carried by the spring following 'the movement of said armature during the latter part of its forward movement. i

` 3.Y In an electric horn for use upon conveyances, a vibratory sonorous member, electro-magnetic means vgoverning said member, a `vibratory armature Jfor said means, a switch controlled by said armature and consisting of two contacts, one of said contacts being normally stationary, a support, a spring attached at one end to said support and resting at the other end against said armature and carrying a second contact between its ends, said spring being normally stressed to bow its center away from said armature and toward said companion contact, the end of the spring resting against the armature being adapted to follow the i movement of the armature when said armature is attracted to the electro-magnetic means.

4.-. In an electric horn for use upon conveyances, a vibratory sonorous diaphragm, means for operating said diaphragm, a movable armature for said means, a switch .controlled by said armature including two contacts, one of which is normally stat1onary, a support, a sp1-lng resting at one end agalnst said armature and carrying a second contact in between its ends, said sprmg belng normally stressed to bow its center away fromV the armature and toward the companion contact, the end of the spring 15 resting against the armature adapted to follow the movement of the armature when said armature is moved to the operating means. A

In testimony whereof, I afHX my signature 20 in the presence of two witnesses.

RAY H. MANSON.

Witnesses:

A. D. T. LIBBY, F. 0. RICHEY. 

